April 24, 2009

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"We've added some new features," says Trutrak General Manager Andrew Barker. "We've added an SL30 interface, we're working on a [Garmin] GNS 430 interface for the VOR and ILS capability, and a standby battery that will allow you to keep communicating and navigating until you can land."

The Trutrak EFIS, which debuted last year, has matured into a serious contender among competitors with some well-thought-out additions. Why come out with one at all in a crowded field? "We just weren't happy with how our autopilot interfaced with some of the others," Barker explained, "so we decided to build our own, which already includes an integrated flight director."

With an ever increasing emphasis on electrically driven flight instrumentation, one might worry about what happens should the electrons suddenly go on strike. TruTrak has thought about this, too. "The upcoming standby battery system will even allow you to power your transponder and encoder for a period of time," Barker said, "so you won't suddenly disappear from someone's scope. And we even have a screen upgrade in the works that should be available by Oshkosh."

Pricing, however, hasn't changed. "We're still pricing the EFIS at $3850," Barker said.

For more information, visit TruTrak Flight Systems .